
Festa Juninas, or June Festivals are Catholic traditions that were brought to Brazil in the 16th century, when the country was a colony of Portugal. These festivals were made to celebrate the four saints: Saint Anthony, Saint John, Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
The Festivals
The June festivals are composed of quermesses, which are bazaars where people go, dressed with checkered clothes, play games to win prices, and eat different types of food.
Food and Drink
Special dishes are made with corn (canjica) and a special drink is made of wine, sugar, ginger, and spices (quentao).
Games
One of the most common games is correio elegante, in which a person sends an anonymous card to another person. Fishery is another common game, in which people get small gifts according to the number written under the fish.
Dances
Traditional dances are known as quadrilhas, in which people pair up and dress like farm men and women. There is usually an announcer who calls out the dance steps